Friday, June 30th 2023 Spencer Leach

 Theme: Re-Unit - Units of various measurements are re-imagined with witty clues.

16A. Loudness of a kiss?: PECK VOLUME. A peck is a unit of dry capacity. In the US it is equivalent to 8 dry quarts. We all knew that, didn't we?

27A. Attraction to certain electric cars?: TESLA MAGNETISM. The international measure of magnetism with the SI symbol T, named for the physicist Nikola Tesla, as was the car.

44A. Number of times one rents a car?: HERTZ FREQUENCY.  The ISO measure of frequency with the symbol Hz. I have President's Circle status with Hertz. No idea what that means, I still get the Ford Focus or whatever that I booked.

60A. Quantity of dirt displaced by a burrowing garden pest?: MOLE AMOUNT. A mole is used to measure how many molecules there are in a thing, and is roughly equivalent to 600 sextillion molecules which in an 'eck of a lot! Also known as the Avogadro number after the chap who came up with it. Not to be confused with the Avocado Constant, named by me, which is the number of avocados in a bowl of guacamole.

I loved the theme - it too a while to emerge but great when it did and helped me through the rest of the solve. There seemed to be a few "stretch" three-letter abbrevisions (I'm particularly looking and you RTS so stop skulking in the corner. I can see you.)

Let's go for a wander around the rest of the puzzle if you're ready?

Across: 

1. Group with a Brain Training app: MENSA.

6. "Mic Drop" K-pop band: BTS. Amazing how quickly a K-pop band becomes a crossword staple. I think I read recently they are taking a break from recording/touring because they have to do their military service.

9. Secure: SAFE.

13. Advanced HS English course: AP LIT. Not sure I like "Advanced" in the clue here; AP stands for "Advanced Placement" so it's something of a repeat.

14. Minor disruption: BLIP.

15. Secure: SNUG.

18. Volcano on Sicily: ETNA. 

19. Casual meeting: SESH.

20. Cosmetics giant that annually honors "Women of Worth": L'ORÉAL.

22. Place to retire: INN. 

23. Parrot in Disney's "Aladdin": IAGO. New to me, but when the crosses filled "IAG" it was obvious.

25. Captain America co-creator Jack: KIRBY.

32. Dated telecommunication request: FAX ME. Who bought the first fax machine? That's some salesmanship right there. "Well, you can send letters over the phone. When someone else buys one. That you want to send letters to."

33. Sign of summer?: LEO.

34. Annual presidential address, for short: SOTU. State of the Union. I'm not sure I've seen it abbreviated before.

35. Web gateway co.: ISP.

36. Omega-shaped curve in a river: OXBOW. Eventually the river breaks through the meander and leaves behind an oxbow lake. In Australia they're called billabongs, in case you wondered what the jolly swagman sat beside in "Waltzing Matilda".

38. Tyke: TOT.

39. Education acronym: STEM. Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics program. Add Arts to the program and it becomes a STEAM.

41. Extra charge: FEE. Weird clue. Why "extra"?

42. France's longest river: LOIRE. Famous for the wonderful châteaux along its length. The Tour de France is starting soon and there are many aerial shots of them when the tour runs through the region.

48. Member of the underground economy?: MINER.

49. Sephora rival: ULTA. Thank you, crosses

50. Sticky situation: JAM.

51. Lap top protector: NAPKIN. Nice clue

54. Tear: RACE.

58. Furniture chain that is developing a 3D-printed meatball: IKEA. Now there's a phrase you would not have even imagined seeing a few years ago. Isn't it easier to roll them between your hands anyway?

62. 36-Across, e.g.: BEND. I didn't see this while I was solving the puzzle, the crosses must have filled it in for me.

63. Ode creator: POET.

64. Not as current: OLDER.

65. Mex. title: SRTA. Señorita. Lots of diacriticals today. By the way, ñ is a distinct letter in Spanish (enye), it's not "en-tilde". There was an LAT crossword a few years ago where the then editor Rich Norris allowed that as fill which quite surprised me.

66. Feminine pronoun: SHE.

67. Best of the best: ELITE.

Down:

1. Diagrams on golf score cards, often: MAPS. Hole-by hole diagram on the back of the card.

2. Pentathlon sword: EPÉE.

3. MLB semifinal: NLCS. National League Championship Series in Major League Baseball. The Cubs and the Cardinals played a two-game series at the weekend in London. Both games sold out and were watched by more than 100,000 spectators, expat Americans, UK baseball fans and a whole lot of people who couldn't understand why the ball wasn't red, the bat wasn't flat and there were no wickets to be seen.

4. Religion based on the spiritual teachings of Guru Nanak: SIKHISM.

5. Rugged ride, briefly: ATV. All-Terrain Vehicle.

6. Smudge: BLUR.

7. Lock screen readout: TIME. I liked the clue.

8. Third studio album re-released as a "Taylor's Version": SPEAK NOW. Not entirely accurate as of today; it hasn't yet been released. The release date is July 7th. Taylor Swift's own "director's cut" of her 2010 release.

9. Baltimore-to-Ocean City dir.: SSE. (Insert other Cities/Towns/States/Countries here)

10. Penicillin, for one: ANTIBIOTIC.

11. "You'll get a kick out of this ... ": FUNNY STORY.

12. "The Candy House" novelist Jennifer: EGAN.

14. Flower: BLOOM.

17. Kurylenko of "Black Widow": OLGA.

21. Falsehood: LIE.

24. Ginger __: ALE. 

26. ACLU focus: RTS. What? This is awful. I would not in a million years have allowed myself to use this in a puzzle.

27. Fashion arbiter: TASTE MAKER.

28. "Bill Nye the Science Guy" staple: EXPERIMENT.

29. "Seascape" playwright: ALBEE.

30. Prefix with political: GEO.

31. Zoom meeting option: MUTE. 

32. __ and chips: FISH. The best Fish and Chips I know come not from the UK, but from The Original Fish Company in Los Alamitos here in California. Amazingly good. Run down there. You want the halibut, not the cod.

36. Cloverleaf segments: OFF RAMPS.

37. Gen __: X-ER.

40. Any of the Tetons: Abbr.: MTN. Ugh

42. Give permission: LET.

43. Hot: ON A ROLL.

45. Serene: ZEN.

46. Serene: QUIET.

47. Arm bone: ULNA.

50. Triangular sails: JIBS.

52. Milne bear: POOH. Here's the proper Pooh and Piglet drawn by E.H. Shepard, not the dreadful Disney versions.

53. Swiss artist Paul: KLEE.

55. German auto: AUDI. Auto Union. Here's the logo from the 30's.

56. Tech review site: C-NET.

57. French infinitive: ÊTRE.

59. Oral health org.: A.D.A.

61. Springfield barkeep: MOE.

Here's the grid, and my work here is done!

Steve

Thursday, June 29, 2023, Hoang-Kim Vu, Jasper Davidoff

 

Let's Party!

This marks the 12th appearance on the Corner for constructor Hoang-Kim Vu.  For a bio-bit on Vu I refer you to Husker's March 18th 2023 review.  His collaborator Jasper Davidoff is making his LAT debut but he has had at least one other puzzle published in Universal Crosswords on June 25, 2021. 

Today they invite us to three different types of celebrations and they've eavesdropped on the types of conversations we're likely to hear at each, as revealed by ...

59A. Political platforms, and an apt title for this puzzle?: PARTY LINES.  ... the clue"political platforms" has nothing to do with politics, -- rather it's a metaphor for the theme clues,  each of which describe 2 snippets of conversation, which are then filled by a type of PARTY and typical LINES that you might hear at each:

17A. "Pour the tea!" and "Let's pick a new topic of conversation!"?: SOCIAL CUES.  An informal gathering, with the first snippet being slang for "let's gossip!" and a second snippet perhaps resulting from getting "too much information" in response to the first!

27A. "Would you pin on my corsage?" and "May I have this dance?": FORMAL REQUESTS.  Two requests made nervously at a prom or a high school dance.   Satisfying the first requires a steady hand!

46A. "They're going to make such good parents!" and "What a cute onesie!"?: SHOWER THOUGHTS.  Comments one is likely to hear at a wedding or baby shower.

This topic also suggests the celebrations that we Cornerites participate in immediately following each puzzle review, beginning early in the morning and often lasting until late at night.  We call these comment fests the AFTER PARTY and we hear strange snippets like "FIR", "FIW", "DNF" and "GRR ...!" -- kudos to the constructor, kudos to the reviewer, (grumbles about the editor!), how we did, what went wrong, what we liked, and what we didn't like.   

On a personal note: I've been involved with social media, both as a participant and as an implementer, since the early 1980's, and I find the fact that this celebration of words has been going on for over 15 years to be truly remarkable!  In my experience most social media experiments come and go, lasting at most a few years. I attribute the longevity of this particular celebration to the good will of all our word lovers: the solvers, the constructors, (the editor!), the reviewers, but most especially to our kind and fearless leader C.C. Burnikel!

Here's the grid ...
 

Here's the rest ...

Across:

1. Emails discreetly: BCCS.

5. __ Villa: Premier League team: ASTON.  Aston Villa Football Club, commonly referred to as Villa, is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of the English football league system.  Here's their website.

10. Phenomena in "Mars Attacks!" and "Arrival," briefly: UFOS.  UFOS are very much in the news these days. 

Mars Attacks! is a 1996 American comic science fiction film directed by Tim Burton. The film features an ensemble cast consisting of Jack Nicholson (in a dual role), Glenn Close, Annette Bening, Pierce Brosnan, Danny DeVito, Martin Short, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michael J. Fox, and lots and lots of little green men. 

Arrival OTOH, is a more serious 2016 American science fiction drama film directed by Denis Villeneuve (of Dune fame).  The film stars Amy Adams as Louise Banks, a linguist enlisted by the United States Army to discover how to communicate with the very different kinds of extra-terrestrials who have arrived on Earth before tensions lead to war. 

14. MLB family name: ALOU.  The Rojas family, more commonly known in English-speaking America by their matronym, ALOU, is a prominent Major League Baseball family from the Dominican Republic.

15. __ firma: TERRA.  This term has a lot of meanings.

16. Brand with a swoosh: NIKE.

17. [Theme clue]

19. Gadget news site: CNET.  If you have a problem, they've got a solution.

20. Hilton rival: HYATT.

21. Dresses up for a fan convention, say: COSPLAYS.  COSPLAY, a portmanteau of "costume play", is an activity and performance art in which participants called cosplayers wear costumes and fashion accessories to represent a specific character.

Cosplayers at Yukicon 2014, a fan convention in Finland

23. Risotto need: STOCK.  There are at least 21 ways to make this dish.  If you've only got time for one ...

Baked Shrimp Risotto

26. Asia's vanishing __ Sea: ARAL.  It's still vanishing.  I wonder if constructors will still clue it after it's completely gone?

27. [Theme clue]

32. Willie who broke the NHL's color barrier: OREE.  Willie O’Ree (William O’Ree), (born October 15, 1935, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada), the first Black hockey player to play in a National Hockey League (NHL) game. He debuted with the Boston Bruins against the Montreal Canadiens at the Montreal Forum on January 18, 1958.

Willie O'Ree

33. Spiritual mentor: GURU.  Guru is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. Or in the IT field, what the sales rep calls all the techies he's trying to place in consulting gigs (they're GURUS in anything and everything!). 

34. Parking places: SPOTS.

36. 2010 health law, for short: ACA.  Affordable Care Act.

37. Groovetastic: RAD.  Last week it was "Cool, man".  Now which is it!?

38. "__ a trap!": ITS.

40. Country where Etihad Airways is HQ'd: UAE. Etihad Airways is the national airline of the United Arab Emirates and one of the country's two major airlines (the other being Emirates). Its head office is in Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi, near Abu Dhabi International Airport. Etihad commenced operations in November 2003. It is the second-largest airline in the UAE after Emirates. The name Etihad is Arabic for 'Union'. 

41. Quick way to Excel?: MACRO.  Here's a quick start to creating macros in Excel.  Begin Rant: Excel is a very powerful tool.  It can be used to create very complex information systems, upon which organizations can become very dependent.  Professional developers document the requirements, designs, and detailed specifications for the systems they write, order to make them maintainable by others when they leave.  In my experience Excel developers rarely do this (their systems are "one man shows").  When they leave the organization, the system leaves with them.  Here's a link suggesting some ways to document spreadsheets. :End Rant. 

43. A pop: EACH.

45. Farmer's unit: ACRE.

46. [Theme clue]

49. Citation abbr.: ET AL.

50. Slower than adagio, on scores: LENTO.  How do musicians know how fast to play a piece?  The tempo LARGO would have fit this clue as well as it is also slower than ADAGIO.  Here's the beginning of the slow 2nd movement from Antonin Dvorak's New World Symphony in E Minor, No. 9, Opus 95, with variations on the beautiful gospel hymn "Goin' Home" ...

51. Andrew Miller novel about an Italian adventurer: CASANOVA.  Casanova the novel is based on the memoir Histoire de Ma Vie (History of My Life) written by the Italian adventurer Giacomo Girolamo Casanova (2 April 1725 – 4 June 1798).  As the manuscript of the latter was about 3700 pages long, it's likely that the novel leaves out quite a few of the juicy bits.

Giacomo Casanova
 by his brother Francesco Casanova
circa 1750–1755

54. App for pix: INSTA.  INSTAGRAM.  Precisely tailored to the attention span of its users.

58. Oodles: A LOT.  The opposite of 60D.

59. [Theme reveal]

62. Stuff to stick with?: GLUE.

63. "Enigma Variations" composer: ELGAR.  The Enigma Variations put ELGAR on the map, establishing him as the greatest English composer of the 19th Century. It consists of 14 variations on an original theme (although there has been much speculation that the germ for it might be a well-hidden popular theme).  Here is Variation IX, the most often played, entitled Nimrod ...

64. Many a fan mag: ZINE.

65. Grub: EATS.

66. Ingredients in garden "bombs": SEEDS.  New to me.  SEED bombs, also known as earth balls or seed balls, have roots in classical Egyptian agricultural practices.  The method may have been widespread in the ancient world as an efficient way to sow large amounts of seed quickly, with minimal tools, especially after floods and other disruptions. 

67. Jazz great James: ETTA.  Here she is with Something's Got a Hold on Me ...

Down:

1. Hit hard: BASH.

2. Be overly sweet: CLOY.

3. __-Cola: COCA.

4. "That works!": SUITS ME.

5. Ga. airport: ATL.  A CSO to ATLGranny!  I'm writing this just after I read your 6/22 announcement of your successful cataract surgery.  Congratulations!
 

6. "Just a __": SEC.

7. Cab driver?: TRUCKER.   The TRUCKER sits in the CAB of the TRACTOR  that pulls the TRAILER (aka the SEMI) ...

Here are some interesting facts about Semi trailers and their history.

8. Nabisco cookie: OREO.  A constructor's delight, with three delicious vowels and a letter to end a comparative adjective!

9. Long Island county: NASSAU.  NASSAU County is an affluent inner suburban county located on Long Island, immediately to the east of New York City. As of the 2020 United States census, Nassau County's population was 1,395,774, making it the sixth-most populous county in New York State.

Nassau County                 

10. Open, as a necklace: UNCLASP.

11. Last bit of decoration: FINAL TOUCH.

12. "__-dokey!": OKEY.

13. Tennis units: SETS.

18. Naan flour: ATTA.  You can buy ATTA flour at your local Indian grocery or from Amazon and make your own Naan:

Naan

22. Juice extractor: PRESS.

24. Merediz of "In the Heights": OLGA.  In the Heights is a 2008 Broadway musical with concept, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and a book by Quiara Alegría Hudes. The story is set over the course of three days, involving characters in the largely Dominican American neighborhood of Washington Heights in Upper Manhattan, New York City.   OLGA Merediz originated the role  "Abuela" Claudia (“abuela" means "grandmother" in Spanish), the loving matriarch of the barrio who is like a grandmother to all.  Here she sings "Paciencia y Fe" ("Patience and Faith") ...

25. More rough: CRUDER.

27. Latte topper: FOAM.

28. Marine predators: ORCAS.  The OREOS of the oceans.

29. Sends a message (to): REACHES OUT.

30. Coronation __: 2023 celebratory dish: QUICHE.  A dish fit for a King and Queen ...

Coronation Quiche

31. Commence: START.

35. Dates: SEES.

37. Mr. Bean player Atkinson: ROWAN.  Here Mr. Bean takes himself out to dinner on his Birthday!

39. Fundraising suffix: THON. 

42. Makes like a dreidel: ROTATES.  Here's a Hanukkah Children's Song called Dreidel ...

44. On the lam: AT LARGE.

45. Struggle (over): AGONIZE.  Hold on folks. Your struggle is almost over!

47. Chooses a running mate?: ELOPES.

48. Gas or elec.: UTIL.

51. Nicolas of "Ghost Rider": CAGE.  Faust on a flaming motor cycle ...

52. Mozart's "Rondo __ Turca": ALLA.   The third movement Allegretto from the Piano Sonata No. 11 in A Major, K. 331, is played here by Manuela Giardina on a fortepiano equipped with a "Turkish sounding" janissary stop ... 

53. Land between hills: VALE.

55. Peevish mood: SNIT.

56. Canvas structure: TENT.

57. On the briny: A SEA.

60. Skosh: TAD.  From the Japanese word Sukoshi, meaning "a little" ...

61. Century divs.: YRS.


Cheers,
Bill

And as always, thanks to Teri for proof reading and for her constructive criticism.

waseeley

Notes from C.C.:

Happy 57th birthday to Barry G, a regular on our blog in the earlier days. Barry, we miss you and your comments. Here's a picture of Barry, his son Joshua and his wife, who's from Tianjin, China. I clearly need an updated picture, Barry!

Wednesday, June 28, 2023, Jodi Davenport & Barbara Lin

Theme: IN OTHER WORDS

I found this on the tougher side for a Wednesday puzzle, and I needed my thinking cap. Not a lot of unknowns, but clued so I had to work for some of the answers. Nice theme, each a common phrase with a double meaning.

17. Recap of the biopic "Walk the Line"?: CASH ACCOUNT. A cash account with a brokerage firm requires that any securities transactions be payable in full from funds in the account at the time of the settlement. Also, Walk the Line was first a (1956) hit song, then a (2005) movie about Johnny Cash, his rise to fame as a beloved country music singer and his 35-year marriage to June Carter Cash. Story Behind the Song: “I Walk the Line” by Johnny Cash.

26. Recap of an anatomy lesson?: ORGAN RECITAL. Thirty-minute organ recitals are given each day by Tabernacle and Temple Square organists and guest organists. An alternative meaning would be bodily organs, such as the liver, pancreas, and spleen.

47. Recap of the rise and fall of Peloton?: SPINNING YARN. "Spinning a yarn," is slang for telling a long, imaginative story. Also, Peloton is a brand that makes exercise equipment, notably stationary bikes. The bikes are used for "spinning" classes in trendy gyms but are also available for home purchase, along with a monthly subscription for streaming and on-demand classes. After reports of falls and injuries, millions of models were recalled.

61. Recap of a dollar bill's journey from the mint to a wallet?: SINGLE STORY. Common phrase meaning a building that has only one level. Also, a one-dollar bill is called a "single." I know someone who wrote his name on every $5 bill he ever had, as an experiment to see how often the same bills came into his hands. Learning moment: In her TED Talk The Danger of a Single Story, Adichie describes the effects that labels can have on how we think about ourselves and others.

Across:

1. Update a cartographer's work: REMAP. A person who draws or produces maps.

6. With 8-Down, "The Simpsons" character in a rhinestone suit: DISCO.

11. Plant, as seeds: SOW.

14. The first "A" in CAT scan: AXIAL. CAT stands for “computed axial tomography” and CT is simply “computed tomography.” CAT scan was the first of the two terms to be used; CT scan has become more common in recent years. These two procedures are the same, though.

15. In the lead: ON TOP.

16. Vietnamese soup: PHO. Phở is a Vietnamese soup dish consisting of broth, rice noodles, herbs, and meat.

19. Before now: AGO.

20. Fire dept. volunteer, perhaps: EMT. Emergency Medical Technician.

21. Flimsy: THIN.

22. Like some 1950s cars: FINNED. These Are the Most Fin-Tastic Cars of the 1950s.

24. Newborn horse: FOAL. Male foals are called colts and female foals are called fillies. When a mare (female adult horse) has her baby, we say she has foaled. When foals turn one year old, we no longer call them foals but instead we call them yearlings.

25. Dance versions of songs, e.g.: REMIXES.

30. "The Golden Girls" city: MIAMI.

31. Take steps: ACT.

32. Cornerstone abbr.: ESTD. A cornerstone (or foundation stone or setting stone) is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation. All other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure. See it there on the right?

 

 36. Apple Watch med. app: ECG. Apple Watch Series 4 and later has an electrical heart rate sensor that, along with the ECG app , allows you to take an electrocardiogram (or ECG).

37. Wetlands plant: CATTAIL. Cattails – A Survival Dinner.

41. "I get it now!": AHA.

42. Orderly: NEAT. 

44. By way of: VIA.

45. Glitch: ERROR. Anyone else having a sudden glitch with Apple saying you are out of space but you're not? I even bought more to buy myself some time while I figured it out, but it didn't help.

51. High-jumping antelopes: IMPALAS. I always remember Poet Rainer Maria Rilke's vivid description about gazelles (a group of related antelope) in a 1907 letter to his wife: "Their legs are like rifles, from which leaps are fired."

54. Mad (at): SORE. Seen mostly in books and crosswords.

55. Chef Samin who wrote the cookbook "Salt Fat Acid Heat": NOSRAT. Also a series on Netflix.

56. First-class: A ONE.

57. Studio with a lion mascot: MGM. MGM (acquired by Amazon in 2021) was formed in 1924 by Marcus Loew by combining Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures, and Louis B. Mayer Pictures into one company. In November 2010, after MGM Studios filed for bankruptcy, MGM Resorts released a statement MGM Studios is a completely separate entity with no common ownership," and "The filing has no impact whatsoever on MGM Resorts International."

60. Wine adjective: DRY. 40 Wine Descriptions and What They Really Mean.

64. Business abbr.: INC. Incorporated.

65. Hit a low note?: MOOED. Haha. Cow.

66. Characteristic: TRAIT.

67. Beginning and end of a phoenix: ASH. The phoenix is a mythical golden bird associated with renewal and regeneration. Rising from the ashes of its previous life, the phoenix is a symbol of hope, of life and of better things to come, born from the knowledge and experience of difficult times and challenging circumstances.

68. Tennis star Agassi: ANDRE.

69. __-pop: electronic music genre: SYNTH.

Down:

1. 10K, for one: RACE.

2. Academic hurdle: EXAM.

3. Waterfall spray: MIST.

4. "I needed that!": AAH.

5. Nonromantic, as a friendship: PLATONIC.

6. Unlikely to bite: DOCILE.

7. Privy to: IN ON.

8. See 6-Across: STU.

9. Parade shower: CONFETTI. 

10. Former name of Kia's K5 sedan: OPTIMA. In 2021, Kia dropped the “Optima” name and renamed the model in the U.S. to feature the same name it carries in South Korea, “K5.”

11. Shapewear brand: SPANX.

12. "Golly!": OH GEE.

13. Forest: WOODS.

18. Burn a bit: CHAR. Burnt Ends: What are they and how to make them.

23. Cairo's river: NILE.

24. Partner and the kids, briefly: FAM.

25. Costa __: RICA.

26. Comet, to some: OMEN. "Comets have a long history, usually as omens and bearers of bad news," says Woody Sullivan, professor of astronomy. "But on the other hand, the death of Julius Caesar was marked by a comet and this was taken by the Romans as a sign of his divinity.

27. Risotto grain: RICE. From Bon Appétit: Risotto is like a clingy baby. You can’t put it down, you can’t walk away from it, and you can’t ignore it. Its needs are straightforward; it just wants all of you. And if you give it all your patient attention, it will transform into a puddle of love. Here's a recipe.

28. "Bad Romance" singer Lady __: GAGA.

29. Board game with settlers: CATAN. Previously known as The Settlers of Catan or simply Settlers, is a multiplayer board game first published in 1995 in Germany. The object is to grow your small island town into a flourishing city.

33. "Nobody doesn't like __ Lee": SARA.

34. Son of Odin: THOR. Norse gods. As well as thunderstorms, Thor is associated with oak trees, and is said to protect mankind.

35. "Phooey!": DARN.

38. Earhart's field: AVIATION. Amelia Mary Earhart was an American aviation pioneer and writer. In 1932, Earhart became the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. In an attempt to fly 29,000 miles around the world, with only 7,000 miles to go, she and her navigator Fred Noonan took off from (now) Papua New Guinea on July 2, 1937, at 12:30 a.m., heading toward tiny Howland Island. They were never seen again.

39. Containers in a British pantry: TINS. Better known in the states as "canned food."

40. Support for calves, but not cows: LEG RESTS.

43. Old Russian ruler: TSAR.

46. Pastrami bread: RYE. On my bucket list: Eat a Rueben at Zingerman's Deli.

48. Blood bank supply: PLASMA.

49. Tristan's beloved: ISOLDE. Lovers in a medieval romance based on Celtic legend. The hero Tristan goes to Ireland to ask the hand of the princess Isolde for his uncle, King Mark of Cornwall. On their return the two mistakenly drink a love potion prepared for the king and fall deeply in love.

50. Not any: NONE.

51. Country whose national anthem is "Jana Gana Mana": INDIA.  (Lit. 'Thou Art the Ruler of the Minds of All People.')

52. Poetic dawns: MORNS. Noun, not verb. Short for mornings.

53. "Ha! You believed me!": PSYCH.

56. Golden __: AGER. Used euphemistically or humorously to refer to a senior citizen.

57. Bellyache: MOAN.

58. Sandpaper coarseness measure: GRIT.

59. Bit of folklore: MYTH. Stories that are based on tradition. Some may have factual origins, while others are completely fictional.

62. Silent assent: NOD.

63. Take a bite, say: TRY.

And here's the grid:

Tuesday, June 27, 2023 Ed Beckert

Don't just sit there in the dark.  Turn on a light!  Today's puzzle gives us the anatomy of a lamp.  How many mystery writers does it take to change a lightbulb? §

18-Across. *  Ocular opening: EYE  SOCKET.

23-Across. *  Noise blocker: EAR PLUG.

51-Across. *  Parachute opener: RIP CORD.

55-Across. *  Fall planting in a flower garden: TULIP BULB.

And the unifier:

35-Across. Facetious comment when turning on a device whose components end the answers to the starred clues: LET THERE BE LIGHT.

And a bonus clue/answer:

66-Across. Two-time Oscar nominee Naomi: WATTS.  [Name # 1.]

After completing the first two theme answers and seeing EYE and EAR, I thought we might be going for body parts, but we had that theme a week or so ago.

Across:

1. Dangerous African snake: MAMBA.  Everything you wanted to know about the Black Mamba.

6. Test score: GRADE.

11. Anti-narcotics org.: DEA.  As in the Drug Enforcement Administration.  //  And 59-Down. 11-Across employee: Abbr.: AGT.  As in an Agent.

14. Make furious: ANGER.

15. Churchill Downs events: RACES.  Churchill Downs is the home of the Kentucky Derby.  It's been in the news a lot this year as numerous horses have been injured or died.

16. PC key near Ctrl: ALT.

17. Japanese noodle dish: RAMEN.  We saw the Ramen noodles two weeks ago when it was clued as Instant Noodle Option.

20. Misted (up): FOGGED.

22. Roam around: ROVE.

26. Paths to take: ROUTES.

28. Shoe bottoms: TREADS.  Because Soles doesn't have enough letters.

29. "All's __ in love and war": FAIR.  Do you known the origin of this phrase?

31. Hill-building insect: ANT.  //  Add a vowel, and you get 32-Across. Informal contraction: AIN'T.

33. Tablet alternative: GEL CAP.

41. Alpine warbles: YODELS.

42. Taunting syllable that's usually repeated: NYAH.  For future reference, you may be interested to known that Nyah is also the name of a town in Victoria, Australia.  I can see this being a clue/answer to a Friday level puzzle.

43. Chew the fat: GAB.

46. Perches in churches: PEWS.

47. Illinois county or its seat: PEORIA.  But will it play in Peoria?

49. Yearly pro golf event: US OPEN.

52. "No kidding?": IT IS.

53. Like many a coastal drive: SCENIC.  I highly recommend the scenic loop in Acadia National Park in Maine.

58. Lunar cycle part: PHASE.

62. Had some grub: ATE.

63. Vowel fivesome: A E I O U.  This vowel quartet appeared in last Tuesday's puzzle.

64. Four pairs: EIGHT.

65. Rosy: RED.

67. Prominent: NOTED.

Down:

1. St. Patrick's Day mo.: MAR.  St. Patrick's Day started out as a religious holiday, but now is known for parades and festivities.  I live near the end of my city's St. Patrick's Day parade.

This is the street the morning after the St. Patrick's Day Parade.

2. Former "SNL" regular Gasteyer: ANA.  Although she has subsequently appeared in several sit-coms, Ana Gasteyer (née Ana Kristina Gasteyer; b. May 4, 1967) is best known for her tenure on Saturday Night Live.  She often portrayed Martha Stewart.  [Name # 2.]

3. __ Grand: Las Vegas casino: MGM.

4. Hamburger choice: BEEF PATTY.

5. Golfer Palmer: ARNOLD.  Arnold Daniel Palmer (Sept. 10, 1929 ~ Sept. 25, 2016) is regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers.  He is also known for "inventing" the Arnold Palmer drink, which is half lemonade and half iced tea.   [Name # 3.]

6. Actor Clark of Marvel films: GREGG.  Although I am not familiar with the Marvel films, I recognized the Clark Gregg (né Robert Clark Gregg, Jr.; b. Apr. 2, 1962) from other shows and movies.  [Name # 4.] 

7. "I Think About You" country singer Collin: RAYE.  I am not up on my country music singers, so am not familiar with Collin Raye (né Floyd Elliot Wray; b. Aug. 22, 1960).  He is also known as Bubba Wray.  [Name # 5.]

8. Scored against, as on a tennis serve: ACED.

9. __ Moines, Iowa: DES.  The history of the city.

10. That, in Spanish: ESO.  Today's Spanish lesson.

11. Actress Fanning: DAKOTA.  Dakota Fanning (née Hannah Dakota Fanning; b. Feb. 23, 1994) got her start as a child actress.  [Name # 6.]

12. Late news hour: ELEVEN.  I live in the Central Time Zone, so local news comes on at 10:00 p.m.

13. Swear (to): AT TEST.

19. French wine classification: CRU.  Today's French lesson.  Everything you wanted to know about Cru but didn't know to ask.

21. Gloomy __: pessimistic one: GUS.  [Name adjacent.]

23. "And others" abbr.: ET AL.  Today's Latin lesson.

24. Singer India.__: ARIE.  India.Aire (née India Arie Simpson; b. Oct. 3, 1975) released her first album, Acoustic Soul in 2001.   [Name # 7.]

25. Tenant's monthly payment: RENT.

26. __ and beans: RICE.  A Red Beans and Rice is staple in South Louisiana.

27. Face-to-face exam: ORAL.

29. Has a hunch: FEELS.

30. Clerical robes: ALBS.  A brief history of the Alb.

33. Got larger: GREW.

34. Geppetto's boy: PINOCCHIO.  “Centuries ago there lived… ‘A king!’ my little readers will say immediately. No, children, you are mistaken. Once upon a time there was a piece of wood.”  The true story of Pinocchio.  [Name # 8.]

36. Partner of faith and charity: HOPE.  A Biblical reference from the New Testament (1 Corinthians 13).   Faith, Hope and Charity is the name of a vineyard in Oregon.

37. Paradise: EDEN.  Paradise is not Lost this week.

38. Greek lamb wrap: GYRO.  Yummers!

39. Tresses: HAIR.  Also the name of a Broadway musical that was later made into a movie.

40. Jazz trumpeter Jones: THAD.  Although born in Michigan, Thad Jones (né Thaddeus Joseph Jones; Mar. 28, 1923 ~ Aug. 20, 1986), moved to Copenhagen, Denmark in the late 1970s, where lived the rest of his life.  He even has a street named for him in Copenhagen.  He is considered one of the best jazz trumpet player of his time.  [Name # 9.]

43. Rock instrument: GUITAR.

44. Sharp-witted: ASTUTE.

45. Heated to bubbling: BOILED.

47. Code entered by a debit card user: PIN.

48. Hand-held allergy treatment: EPI-PEN.

50. Tire inflation abbr.: PSI.

51. Puzzle with symbols: REBUS.  A is a puzzle device that combines the use of illustrated pictures with individual letters to depict words or phrases.  ‡

53. Spades, but not shovels: SUIT.

54. Thicken, as cream: CLOT.

56. Friendly dog's offering: PAW.

57. Actress Arthur: BEA.  Although best known as an actress, Bea Arthur (née Bernice Frankel; May 13, 1922 ~ Apr. 25, 2009) joined the Marine Corps just days after that branch of the military began accepting women into their company.  [Name # 10.]

60. "Murder, __ Wrote": SHE.  Murder, She Wrote was a long-running cozy mystery series about mystery writer and amateur detective, Jessica Fletcher, played by Angela Lansbury (née Angela Brigid Lansbury; Oct. 16, 1925 ~ Oct. 11, 2022).  She lived in the tiny village of Cabot Cove, Maine, which must have been the most dangerous town in the United States because a murder occurred there every week for 12 years.

61. Gate update: Abbr.: ETD.  Estimated Time of Departure at the Airport.

Here's the Grid:

§  Two ~ One to screw it in most of the way in and the other to give it a surprise twist at the end. 

What is your favorite light bulb joke?  Please share.

‡    51-Down.  The answer to the rebus is Up For Grabs.

חתולה

Many thanks to C.C. who stepped in for me last week.

Congratulations to the LSU Tigers who just won the College World Series!  Geaux Tigers!